Geranium Plant Named ‘Oglger11081’

ABSTRACT

A new and distinct cultivar of Zonal  Geranium  plant named ‘Oglger11081’, characterized by its upright, outwardly spreading and mounded plant habit; freely branching habit; freely and early flowering habit; bright pink-colored flowers; and good garden performance.

Botanical designation: Pelargonium×hortorum.

Cultivar denomination: ‘Oglger11081’.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates to a new and distinct cultivar of ZonalGeranium, botanically known as Pelargonium×hortorum, and hereinafterreferred to by the name ‘Oglger11081’.

The new Zonal Geranium is a product of a planned breeding programconducted by the Inventor in Lompoc, Calif. The objective of thebreeding program is to create new vigorous Zonal Geranium cultivars withdark green-colored foliage and attractive and unique flower coloration.

The new Zonal Geranium originated from a cross-pollination made by theInventor in March, 2000 in Lompoc, Calif. of a proprietary selection ofPelargonium×hortorum identified as code number 7438, not patented, asthe female, or seed, parent with a proprietary selection ofPelargonium×hortorum identified as code number 6723-69, not patented, asthe male, or pollen, parent. The cultivar Oglger11081 was discovered andselected by the Inventor as a flowering plant from within the progeny ofthe stated cross-pollination in a controlled environment in Lompoc,Calif. in November, 2000.

Asexual reproduction of the new Zonal Geranium by vegetative terminalcuttings in a controlled environment in Connellsville, Pa. sinceSeptember, 2001, has shown that the unique features of this new ZonalGeranium are stable and reproduced true to type in successivegenerations.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The cultivar Oglger11081 has not been observed under all possibleenvironmental conditions. The phenotype may vary somewhat withvariations in environment and cultural practices such as temperature,daylength and light intensity without, however, any variance ingenotype.

The following traits have been repeatedly observed and are determined tobe the unique characteristics of ‘Oglger11081’. These characteristics incombination distinguish ‘Oglger11081’ as a new and distinct cultivar ofZonal Geranium:

-   -   1. Upright, outwardly spreading and mounded plant habit.    -   2. Freely branching habit.    -   3. Freely and early flowering habit.    -   4. Bright pink-colored flowers.    -   5. Good garden performance.

Plants of the new Zonal Geranium differ primarily from plants of thefemale parent selection primarily in flower color as plants of thefemale parent selection have rose-colored flowers.

Plants of the new Zonal Geranium differ primarily from plants of themale parent selection primarily in flower color as plants of the maleparent selection have light pink-colored flowers.

Plants of the new Zonal Geranium can be compared to plants of thePelargonium×hortorum cultivar Fisbravo, disclosed in U.S. Plant Pat. No.9,765. In side-by-side comparisons conducted in Connellsville, Pa.plants of the new Zonal Geranium differed from plants of the cultivarFisbravo in the following characteristics:

-   -   1. Plants of the new Zonal Geranium were more freely flowering        than plants of the cultivar Fisbravo.    -   2. Plants of the new Zonal Geranium flowered earlier than plants        of the cultivar Fisbravo.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE PHOTOGRAPH

The accompanying colored photograph illustrates the overall appearanceof the new Zonal Geranium, showing the colors as true as it isreasonably possible to obtain in colored reproductions of this type.Colors in the photograph may differ slightly from the color values citedin the detailed botanical description which accurately describe thecolors of the new Zonal Geranium. The photograph comprises a sideperspective view of a typical flowering plant of ‘Oglger11081’ grown ina container.

DETAILED BOTANICAL DESCRIPTION

The aforementioned photograph and following observations, measurementsand values describe plants grown in Connellsville, Pa. in aglass-covered greenhouse during the summer and under conditions whichclosely approximate Zonal Geranium commercial production. During theproduction of the plants, day temperatures ranged from 21° C. to 32° C.,night temperatures ranged from 17° C. to 21° C. and light levels rangedfrom 2,500 lux to 3,000 footcandles. Plants were about nine weeks fromplanting when the photographs and the description were taken. In thedetailed description, color references are made to The RoyalHorticultural Society Colour Chart, 2001 Edition, except where generalterms of ordinary dictionary significance are used.

-   Botanical classification: Pelargonium×hortorum cultivar Oglger11081.-   Parentage:    -   -   Female, or seed, parent.—Proprietary selection of            Pelargonium×hortorum identified as code number 7438, not            patented.        -   Male or pollen parent.—Proprietary selection of            Pelargonium×hortorum identified as code number 6723-69, not            patented.-   Propagation:    -   -   Type.—By vegetative terminal cuttings.        -   Time to initiate roots, summer.—About ten days at            temperatures of 20° C.        -   Time to initiate roots, winter.—About two weeks at            temperatures of 16° C.        -   Time to produce a rooted young plant, summer.—About four            weeks at temperatures of 20° C.        -   Time to produce a rooted young plant, winter.—About four            weeks at temperatures of 16° C.        -   Root description.—Fine, fibrous; white in color.        -   Rooting habit.—Freely branching.-   Plant description:    -   -   General appearance.—Upright and outwardly spreading plant            habit; uniformly mounded; densely foliated.        -   Growth and branching habit.—Moderately vigorous growth            habit. Freely branching habit.        -   Plant height, to top of foliar plane.—About 12.5 cm to 13.4            cm.        -   Plant height, to top of umbels.—About 22 cm to 24 cm.        -   Plant width.—About 21 cm to 22.5 cm.        -   Main stems.—Length: About 8.2 cm to 9.5 cm. Diameter: About            6 mm to 9 mm. Internode length: About 8 mm to 14 mm.            Texture: Slightly to moderately pubescent. Strength: Strong.            Color: 144A.        -   Primary lateral branches.—Length: About 1.9 cm to 2.3 cm.            Diameter: About 5 mm to 6 mm. Internode length: About 9 mm            to 12 mm. Texture: Slightly to moderately pubescent.            Strength: Strong. Color: 144A.-   Foliage description:    -   -   Arrangement.—Alternate, simple.        -   Length.—About 6.1 cm to 6.7 cm.        -   Width.—About 7.2 cm to 7.9 cm.        -   Shape.—Reniform.        -   Apex.—Rounded.        -   Base.—Cordate.        -   Margin.—Crenate.        -   Venation pattern.—Palmate.        -   Texture, upper and lower surfaces.—Pubescent; velvety.        -   Color.—Developing foliage, upper surface: 143A. Developing            foliage, lower surface: 143C. Fully expanded foliage, upper            surface: Slightly darker than 143A; venation, 143A. Fully            expanded foliage, lower surface: 143C; venation, 143C.            Zonation pattern: Not observed.        -   Petiole.—Length: About 3.3 cm to 7.8 cm. Diameter: About 3            mm to 4 mm. Texture, upper and lower surfaces: Smooth,            glabrous. Color, upper and lower surfaces: 143A.-   Flower description:    -   -   Flower arrangement.—Rotate flowers arranged in rounded            hemispherical umbels arising from apical leaf axils. Umbels            displayed above the foliage on strong peduncles. Flowers            face upright to outward; flowers slightly cupped becoming            flatter with development. Flowers not persistent. Flowers            not fragrant.        -   Quantity of flowers.—Freely flowering habit; about 11 to 23            flowers per umbel and about two to three umbels per lateral            branch.        -   Flowering season.—In Connellsville, Pa. flowering is            continuous during the spring and summer.        -   Flower longevity.—Individual flowers last about 10 to 14            days on the plant.        -   Umbel height.—About 4.5 cm to 6.7 cm.        -   Umbel diameter.—About 9.5 cm to 11.7 cm.        -   Flower diameter.—About 4 cm to 5.2 cm.        -   Flower depth (height).—About 1.5 cm to 2 cm.        -   Flower buds.—Length: About 8 mm to 10 mm. Diameter: About 4            mm to 7 mm. Shape: Elliptical.        -   Petals.—Quantity per flower: About five in a single whorl.            Length: About 2.3 cm to 2.7 cm. Width: About 2.1 cm to            2.3 cm. Shape: Roughly spatulate. Apex: Rounded. Base:            Attenuate. Margin: Entire. Texture, upper and lower            surfaces: Smooth, glabrous. Color: When opening and fully            opened, upper surface: Towards the margins, N66B; center,            53C; towards the base, close to 155D with venation, 61C or            53C. When opening and fully opened, lower surface: Towards            the margins, 61C; center and towards the base, 64D; color            fading towards 65C at the margins.        -   Petaloids.—Quantity per flower: None to about three. Length:            About 1.5 cm to 2.1 cm. Width: About 4 mm to 14 mm. Shape:            Irregular. Apex: Rounded. Base: Attenuate. Margin: Entire.            Texture, upper and lower surfaces: Smooth, glabrous. Color:            When opening and fully opened, upper surface: N66C. When            opening and fully opened, lower surface: 64D.        -   Sepals.—Quantity per flower: Five, arranged in a single            whorl. Length: About 2 cm. Width: About 5 mm. Shape:            Lanceolate. Apex: Acute. Base: Attenuate. Margin: Entire.            Color, upper and lower surfaces: Close to 144A.        -   Peduncle (umbel stem).—Length: About 12.3 cm to 16.4 cm.            Diameter: About 2.5 mm to 4 mm. Strength: Strong. Texture:            Moderately pubescent. Color: 143A.        -   Pedicel (individual flower stem).—Length: About 2.3 cm to            3 cm. Diameter: About 1 mm to 2.5 mm. Strength: Moderately            strong. Texture: Pubescent. Color: 144B; towards the sepals,            overlain with 144A.        -   Reproductive organs.—Androecium: Stamen quantity per flower:            About seven to nine. Filament length: About 7 mm to 9 mm.            Filament color: Close to 155C. Anther length: About 1 mm to            2 mm. Anther shape: Oval. Anther color: N66A. Pollen amount:            Abundant. Pollen color: N163A. Gynoecium: Pistil quantity            per flower: One. Pistil length: About 1 cm. Stigma shape:            Split into five parts. Stigma size: About 2 mm. Stigma            color: N57A. Style length: About 3 mm. Style color: N57A.            Ovary color: 144B.        -   Seed.—Seed development has not been observed.-   Disease/pest resistance: Plants of the new Zonal Geranium have not    been observed to be resistant to pathogens and pests common to Zonal    Geranium.-   Garden performance: Plants of the new Zonal Geranium have been    observed to tolerate rain, wind, and temperatures ranging from about    1° C. to about 35° C. and have demonstrated good garden performance.

1. A new and distinct Zonal Geranium plant named ‘Oglger11081’ asillustrated and described.